THE Mount Gambier Woodturning Club will continue to chip away at its ‘pens for troops’ initiative thanks to generous support of a recent community raffle.
Hundreds of dollars were raised to support the club, which is one of several nationally handcrafting wooden pens to be sent to Australian Defence Force personnel.
Praising the community for its support, club president Peter Cunningham said the project was a great outlet for the club’s membership.
“We don’t get a lot of feedback but the people we have heard from are very thankful,” Mr Cunningham said.
“It indicates to them we care about what they are doing,” he said.
In addition to handcrafted pens, members also make various containers, plates, cups and other household items at the club’s Hastings Cunningham Reserve base.
With a broad range of materials and machines to work from, the club recently repurposed wood found in the cellar of the now-demolished Fidler and Webb site, believed to be over 100 years old.
Mr Cunningham said money raised from the recent raffle, drawn late last month, will be used to help fund materials, as well as administrative costs such as rent and power bills.
First prize of a $150 Woolworths voucher was Julie Chant while a $65 gift pack from Georgy’s Hair Design was won by Cynthia Burne.
Noel Gosden ($50 Bunnings voucher), M. Turner ($50 She’s Apple gift basket) and Allan Medhurst ($25 Coles voucher) rounded out the prize winners.
Contact club secretary Tom Dermody on 0408 803 514 or tom.dermody@bigpond.com for more information on how to become a member.
